Desertification and Land Degradation (DLD) have vast interconnected causes and consequences in all three dimensions of sustainable development—economic, social, and environmental. It is estimated that 40% of the world’s degraded land are in areas of high poverty and approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide depend directly on these degraded lands for their livelihoods.

North-East Asia faces a range of DLD challenges due to its vast landmass, geographical and climate variation, and differences in stages and choices of development paths. Countries in the subregion, in particular China and Mongolia, continue to suffer from deforestation, desertification, and loss of biodiversity.

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DLD threaten over 25% of China’s landmass (approximately 2.6 million km²) in 18 provinces and has affected more than 400 million people in total. They bring about great economic losses, have adverse impact on health, and most importantly, hinder the progress of poverty reduction.

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Source: Combating Desertfication and Land Degradation: Proven Practices from Asia and the Pacific, Korea Forest Service (2011)

Mongolia has 77% of territory and almost 90% of its pastureland under threats of DLD. Mongolia is highly vulnerable to ecological changes and impacts of climate change, such as increasing temperature and decreasing precipitation during heavy rain season.

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Source: Combating Desertfication and Land Degradation: Proven Practices from Asia and the Pacific, Korea Forest Service (2011)

NEASPEC supports collaboration of member countries to share information and to build policy and technical capacity through two new projects: the North-East Asia Multi-stakeholder Plan (NEAMSP) on Combating Desertification and Land Degradation and the Study on North-East Asia Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) and Sustainable Development.

North-East Asia Multi-Stakeholder Plan

Building capacity in the sub-region through multi-stakeholder and inter-sectoral collaboration

North-East Asia Multi-stakeholder Plan (NEAMSP) is proposed as a practical tool to map activities by multi-stakeholders to combat DLD in the region in order to create an interconnected community of coordinated and efficient actions.

Serves as a map to present the collective works of agencies for enable the DLD community to act together

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An active focal point to collect and share information in a common language by producing a regularly updated living document

DLD Projects in North-East Asia

For relevant stakeholders, the NEAMSP can be used to review overall DLD actions, challenges, and opportunities by providing essential and up-to-date information on active projects in the subregion. The map below provides an overview of different projects that combat DLD in the region.

Project History

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NEAMSP supplements existing multilateral mechanisms including the Northeast Asia Sub-Regional Action Programme to Combat Desertification and Dust and Sandstorms (NEASRAP), the Northeast Asia Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought Network (DLDD-NEAN) and the Regional Master Plan for the Prevention and Control of Dust and Sandstorms in Northeast Asia

Subsequent to the completion of NEASPEC project on “Implementing the Regional Master Plan for the Prevention and Control of Dust and Sandstorms (DSS) in North-East Asia,” NEASPEC continued its efforts for building national capacity in Mongolia and promoting effective cross-border environmental cooperation throughout the subregion.

The 2005 Regional Master Plan for the Prevention and Control of Dust and Sandstorms (DSS) in North-East Asia aimed to prevent dust and sandstorms in a comprehensive manner through prevention and monitoring at the subregional scale. The plan was jointly developed by the Asia Development Bank (ADB), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and was adopted by the Governments of China, Mongolia, Republic of Korea and Japan.

Relevant Meetings

Regional Master Plan for the Prevention and Control of Dust and Sandstorms in North-East Asia2005

Study on North-East Asia Land Degradation Neutrality and Sustainable Development

Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) is “a state whereby the amount and quality of land resources necessary to support ecosystem functions and services and enhance food security remain stable or increase within specified temporal and spatial scales and ecosystems” (UNCCD)

In 2015, LDN was recognized as a key approach to combating DLD in the Sustainable Development Goals. (SDG 15.3). LDN offers new opportunities for using land management as a tool to address other challenges such as biodiversity, climate, food security, poverty, and water availability.

At SOM 21, a subregional study was approved to strengthen the understanding of LDN as a solution for wider sustainability, to identify key opportunities for inter-sectoral and international collaboration, and to share experiences and cases in LDN-related challenges within and beyond the subregion. By incorporating LDN as a key thematic pillar of NEASPEC's DLD works, DLD can be better integrated into subregional and national policies for sustainable development.

With the adoption of the LDN target, all countries are requested to formulate voluntary targets to achieve LDN according to their specific national circumstances and development priorities. With the new global commitments on LDN, its incorporation in the SDGs, and the interlinkages and multiple benefits, a much broader and strategic understanding is needed to unlock the potential of LDN as a solution to promote SDG 15 as well as other SDGs.

Objectives

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Strengthen knowledge and understanding of LDN in the subregion both as a problem and a solution

Identify key opportunities of intersectoral and international collaboration in bringing multiple benefits through LDN

Share experiences and lessons learned in LDN-related challenges within and beyond the subregion